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 Come Out & Play
October Is National Roller Skating Month!
Have you ever been roller skating? October is National Roller Skating Month a whole month dedicated to this fun sport! Roller skating can be done inside or out, night or day. And you don't have to have any special athletic abilities. It is an individual activity, so you can learn at your own pace.
Not only is roller skating fun, but it is great exercise, too! Studies have shown that roller skating provides a complete aerobic workout. And it uses all 640 of the body's muscles! In-line skating is as beneficial as running or cycling. And, skating is easier on your joints than running.
So what type of equipment do you need to get started? The Dutch word schaats means stilts, and skate. Skates raise you up off the ground (like stilts!) and are supported by four wheels, set in pairs. The first skates used wooden wheels! Now, skates use polyurethane wheels, and they have plastic or rubber toe stops. When you first try skating, you might use adjustable skates that fasten to your regular shoes. Shoe skates are available with high-tops for ankle support, or as a lower cut shoe or "speed skate." Arm and knee pads are optional for roller skating but are a good idea for beginning skaters, or if you are skating outside. Roller rinks have a safer smooth surface for skating. If you skate outside on the street or driveway, you have to look out for debris and traffic.
Roller skates were probably invented by ice skaters who wanted to skate when there was no ice! According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, some early skates had just two wheels! Others had wheels in a line similar to todays in-line skates or Rollerblades. A Belgian inventor introduced the first recorded roller skate in 1760. James Plimpton of Massachusetts developed the first skate as we know it (it allowed the skater to turn!) back in 1863.
Lots of fun can be had on roller skates! You can play fun games on skates, such as "Red Light, Green Light" and "Four Corners." There are also competitions for speed skating. In fact, many of the athletes that won Olympic medals for speed skating on ice are also champions at inline speed skating. You may even see inline speed skating as an Olympic sport in 2016! Other types of roller skating include figure skating, free skating and agressive skating where the skater does lots of tricks! You can also play team sports, such as roller hockey, which is similar to ice hockey, but on skates. Roller derby is another team sport that is regaining popularity.
Roller skating is for the whole family, too! Many moms and dads out there would probably love the chance to put on some skates and have fun!
Sources: Roller Skating Association International, www.rollerskating.org; Britannica Student Encyclopedia, Encyclopdia Britannica Online; USA Roller Sports, www.usarollersports.org.
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